♪ good evening to a special edition of america tonight. in his family he was given the name "troublemaker." to his clan, he was madib, a to his country he was tata. the world will remember

nelson mandela as the father of his nation. whose revolve and leadership through decades of oppression, and 27 years in prison, forced south africa to end the cruelty of apartheid. and whose dignity inspired not only his own homeland, but those that work for freedom and civil rights across the world. we begin with the great man's own words. the ones we will all remember of him. >> difficulties he once wrote to his wife, wreak some men. but make others. real leaders, he said, must be ready to sacrifice all, for the freedom of their people. i can rest only for a

moment before with freedom, come responsibility and i dare not linger for my long walk is not yet ended. his long walk ended today, as he died at the age of 95. this is the moment of deeper sorrow. yet what made him great is what made him human. we saw in him what we seek in ourselves. >> looking back now to the headdy days in 1990,

and the days after that, the excitement throughout the world even the months after that, leaf him here in the wrights. joining us here in the studio, she helped to organize nelson mandela's first tour after he was released from prison, and it was really quite soon after his release, can you take us back to that moment? it is june of 1990, and america is seeing nelson mandela, how emotional was it here? >> it was really pan polonium. it was. i remember when the mayor described him as the modern day black moses, and i think that for me, being part of the first national u.s. tour, i felt like i got a chance to see america at its best, because new york in particular went crazy. >> there were thousands of people in the streets. >> there were an

estimated hundreds of thousands of people. from his first appearance in brooklyn, to the motor kade, with cuomo down broadway. people were crying. >> there were people with bannering saying irish for mandela, everybody in their offices were out, it was just an amazing and exhilarating moment. and i think that the whole idea of mandela, obviously he is part of a lineage, not just in south africa, but in terms of the anti-clonian independent movement, in africa, but he represented such high integrity. and such high character, that he was aperson that i think universally people have been able to relate to. beam in the united states, participated in the antiapartheid

movement. >> and when he was released and arrived in the states, it wasn't officially over yet. >> the interesting thing, is many people may not know, or i had a relative, a brent that worked the r the state department, and we were organizationing an event here in washington, he mentioned that employees of the state department got a memo telling them not to come because he was a terrorist. >> so officially labeled. >> he was officially labeled as a terrorist, as ale co knit, he was still kind of seen as the figure that was not -- his politics were not necessarily consistent with the u.s. view. because the u.s. has been accomplice sit in some ways. >> there were sanctions. the first president bush at that point was still in favor of lifting those? >> well, the point of

mandela's first trip to the u.s., was to try to make it clear that economic sanctions should continue, to try to raise money which had been outlawed and was trying to build infrastructure, building toward go nance, and also really to let the u.s. people really see him as a person. he was sus a mystical figure. >> he was. >> and even when he emerged out of jail and walked out with march della, many of us that worked for his release -- i did a documentary that was used be i the committee when he walked out, people were say hog is that man -- >> 27 very difficult years. >> he didn't even bear a resemblance to the boxer, the physically fit guy as he was when he went in prison. >> do you remember that he was already in his 70's at this point, he had had a very hard time in prison, he was exhausted at some points in that tour. >> absolutely.

>> but was he anticipating the level of emotion that greeted him here? >> you know, nelson mandela for all of his passion, was a very very measured man, that he always seemed to be a step ahead of everyone in terms of his thinking. he was very cogent at all times. so madison square garden when he saw the crowd and the response he gave him a new york janes hat and came out and said i am a yankee, that was about as bubbly as we had ever seen him. he began to understand that that was part of his role. a very galvanizing figure for the century.

>> r the being here. one else will ask. >> it seems like they can't agree to anything in washington no matter what. >> antonio mora, award winning and hard hitting. >> we've heard you talk about the history of suicide in your family. >> there's no status quo, just the bottom line. >> but, what about buying shares in a professional athlete?

>> from our headquarters in new york, here are the headlines this hour. >> al jazeera america is the only news channel that brings you live news at the top of every hour. >> a deal in the senate may be at hand and just in the nick of time. >> thousands of new yorkers are marching in solidarity. >> we're following multiple developments on syria at this hour. >> every hour from reporters stationed around the world and across the country. >> only on al jazeera america. the stream is uniquely interactive television. we depend on you, >> you are one of the voices of this show. >> so join the conversation and make it your own. >> the stream. weeknights 7:30 et / 4:30 pt on al jazeera america and join the conversation online @ajamstream.

that is the scene live. where people have gathered outside nelson mandela's home. >> it is quite late in the night but still the commemoration of his life. working with him or inspired by his struggle. al jazeera ray swarez hosted inside story from paris, who interviewed the leader twice after his release from prison there. you were there at the moment he was released from prison, which for us seems like an enure us event.

>> that is close up disthen the day that mandela walks out of jail. it was clearly chaotic. afternoon rushed on to try to make it there in time nothing was organized. there were so many people on the street, that it got lost, it got lost makes it ways to the city hall. where they were going to give his first peach. people have been waiting

so long to hear one word out of this man's mouth, and he got it on on the balcony, of city hall, and gave this rambling speech, most of which was ground out by the din on the street. i think we forget all this many years on. >> you want to interview him a couple of times. over time, did he understand the impact that he had had did he understand what his legacy would be? i think as we just heard, it was his trip to new york, which i was also lucky enough to cover, ealey made him understand. i think in those first

few weeks out of jail, and seeing all these people line-up to say hello to them, they were tribal leaders, that took days to get there, with little pieces of paper with different disputes that they wanted him to resolve. i think it took him a while to realize that he had this huge reach which of course, he didn't know for much of the time that he was in jail. >> on this end, in the safe the immaterial packet this man had, and we heard that that moment that he came to the state just months after his release, where were the emotions here well, they

evolved. you have to remember they went into armed struggle, armed resistence against the apartheid government. only after tremendous acts of violence, the massacring of civilians that convinced manage della that the government was never going to give up without a fight. but then disappeared from the world, and those kids hanging on that talk that we saw. they aren't alive when he went into prison. so it wasn't that different here. and then nelson mandela edition appeared only to become a worldwide celebrity of growing statue in his absence. in the late 90 teen 80's. so really there was many

minds about nelson mandela, terrorist leader, violence struggle leader, the fear of the nation, someone who was going to nationalize the resources of south africa. that was one version. i thought it was going to lift off of planet earth, 85,000 people shouting at the top of their lungs and he lifts his fists and fen they shout, i don't think it matters what he had to say, he did say a couple of words and exhorted people to get out there and vote. but these were people whose lives were lived in the shadow of a mandela

and the other of the movement. unable to actively be in the struggle with them, is yet they loved him from afar. it was an amazing thing. vivian on that as welt, for you as a south african yourself, that impact -- and the impact continues to make through his politic career. and then through his retirement, where do you see the greatest source of the legacy. >> i left south africa to reasonably very young age. that they were never going to change, and live under apartheid any more. and just a casual interaction.

seeing kids on playgrounds, black, whites, we refer to them as born frees. people that were born after knife teen 90, never had direct expense of apartheid. they seem somewhat color blind, and i can't imagine a time when this would be unmanageable for kids of different colors to be playing together. and i think that has to be -- credited to mandela. reconciliation was not all together uncontroversial idea. >> right, it was difficult as well. >> it is that. that moment that -- >> in the decades. >> the end of apartheid, there were two very strong strains in politics.

s nelson mandela and other men that are with them in the struck and women, talk about a pan racial south africa, that would not deny its own history and try to forget the last years. he won the argument. s please stray with us, we will continue our coverage in a moment. this is a watershed moment in media for america. >> this entire region is utterly devastated. >> people our here are struggling. >> the fire jumped the highway

we took earlier. >> your average viewer want's to actually understand how the health care law is going to help them or hurt them. >> they know they can get extremist bickering somewhere else. >> people say that we're revolutionary. our revolution is just going back to doing the best in journalism. >> this is the place to go watch high quality journalism, period. >> start with one issue ad guests on all sides of the debate. and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5pm et / 2pm pt only on al jazeera america tñ

♪ how i wonder what you are ♪ ♪ up above the world so high like a diamond in the sky ♪-e at 95 he left the world with such a youthful spirit. his legacy, a significant

part of history. one that changed lives forever. a south african himself, al jazeera reports from capetown. far limit, memory of that day when he delivered his first address. >> this is the way he has his own place. from the tour guide, demonstrating that even the great can sometimes get it wrong. the former president making a speak. and he -- making a speech he noticed a red button that kept on flicking next to him.

he didn't know what was going on, so he had to stop and find out what was really going on. >> you don't have to worry nobody is in darer, but that is to indicate that the person is speaking for a long time. >> underlying the last real affection, and a genuine acknowledgement that he made to create a better life for all. >> especially nor the young people today. he made a sacrifice, and a lot of opportunity came from the decisions he had made. >> he fought before that

this he is living in now. >> nelson mandela was a fighter. not only for south africa now, it is for all the world, he is a peacemaker, as somebody who is stand for his people, and not only for black people, but for the entire nation, and all the nations of the globe. >> but it is not only the lives of the youth that nelson mandela changed. >> i remember the 80's, when were students and there was instants we were matching -- stop and i remember we use today have some scene that we were coming to destroy the place, and down the line-up, i found myself working in parliament, it is quite a political experience.

i believe for some people -- had it not been for monday night. >>s the right to vote that's mike hannah. now much the world has changed since his relief. lease. another generation has grown up, not knowing the direct impact of mandela in a lives but what of our own certainly does. our producer was a young south african that came of age just as he was released. you have to take us back to that time. you a young kid, what was that environment like before mandela's release? you weren't even allowed to talk about it. >> as difficult as one of the other guests said, difficult thinking how restrictive it was.

mandela's name was banned it was against the law to use his name. if you used the name of nelson mandela that was a criminal offense, that can report you, and stand as a witness in a trial against you, and you could be prosecuted for it. grew one this feeling didn't really know what this man was. >> your mother didn't want you saying his name. >> . >> right. she was afraid. she had three boys who were growing up in a time where it was so easy to befall you at the hands of the state police. she tried to protect us, and it wasn't key for us to get into politics, because she didn't want something to happen, and there were many others around us, my brother who

was at college in the mid 80's, had been beaten by police, and been through some harrowing expense pros testing with other students and being beaten and tier gas and that kind of thing. so she had seen what he went with through. but when i was 18 is left home, and went to city to the college the first year, that is when i was a month on campus, and mandela was released. >> do you remember that day? a is it's so hard to forget. gather a whole group of friends about 20 of us, we had heard that there was a state of the union speech coming up. so we gathers around a little t.v., and just silence after the announcement that he would be freed. and then watching that -- >> what was that like?

>> it is really hard to describe. people lad within in the position for so long, had the reality change in a day like that. it was hard to get your head around. he spoke a little funny, and vibrant. >> someone you hadn't known. >> the myth tholing was over. grant clark from our al jazeera tonight team, thank you for being here. >> thank you. >> that is it for us here on america tonight. we will see you back with more of america tonight, tomorrow.

i think that's something we shouldn't forget, he was an incredible politician. >> i was speaking to someone earlier who was an early member -- nelson mandela was one of the few african presidents that stepped down of his own accord, after a very short tenure. and i would say -- does this bring out an equality in him that other leaders don't have. and he doled me that maybe he should have stayed longer. would you agree with that? or do you think he did the right thing of stepping down when he did? >> well, i mean -- that's a difficult question.

i think it is really interesting, isn't it, there's this pride for any african lead tear gives up power, and hasn't been awarded for the last two years so there clearly is a problem withar can leaders stepping down. he obviously knew that. he knew the revolutionaries that came to power, they had difficulty leaving power, once they got there, obvious example, and so i think he wanted to set a very clear example. that i'm going to stay one term, and then i am going to step down. but, you know, they have a point which is that had he stayed on longer, he may have strengthened and cemented this nation a bit more, than has happened. >> good to speak to you, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> well, mandela struggled to liberate

south africa and inspire people everywhere, some of these used his example to become leaders themselves. patty has more from washington, d.c. >> who else in the world could make this happen? one hours of his death, a moment of silence within the security council, it seems across the globe there is universal mourning for nelson mandela. at the white house, president barack obama immediately left a reception to send this message of gratitude. >> the day he was released from prison, he gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they are guided by their hopes and not by their fears. and like so many around the globe,ky not fully imagine my own life without the example that nelson mandela set. >> and so long as i live,ly do what i can to learn from him. >> world leaders say he was for all the face of

forgiveness. >> nelson mandela was a chide for justice, and human inspiration. many around the world were entrenched by his selfless struggle for human dignity, equality, and freedom. excellent tonight, one of the brightest lights of our world has gone out. nelson mandela was not just a hero of our time, but a hero of all time. >> a legend for the powerful, and the people on the streets of time square from all around the globe. it is a big loss for all of us. >> god bless all the people he fought for. i hope his legacy lives on.

remembering how he fought, and how he lived. >> well, among the many tributes was this one. from jimmy carter he said the peep around the world have lost a great loader, create as new hope for generations of oprezzed people worldwide, and because of him, south africa today one of the world's leading democracies. i was in south africa in cape down. it was unbelievable joy, and now his passing is unbelievable sadness, he took us to great heights and to great depths. hi used his mind and body and suffering to bring down the barriers of that system.

hi chose reconciliation to have a south africa that would not have whites in the margin, but build a new inclusive south africa, which has the democratic model in the rest of the world, in terms of redemption and reconciliation. >> there has been a outpouring of grief around the world, following nelson mandela's death. here is what people in new york have been saying. >> he was such a great icon,ky not believe that, that is my first time hearing that. this is a shock tore the world, i know a lot of people will be sad, because he did a lot for africa. >> a great loss, he was -- he was someone who made a difference, and he will be missed. >> it is sad, it is sad. it is history. >> he was a strong man, who took part in the

struggle of the people of south africa, to get more democracy, and to also -- >> better rights for the black people -- >> yeah. >> that's what i remember. what does husband life stand for stand for you. >> mainly on the time he spent when he was in prison of making sure that not just that he was free but the whole country of south africa was free. etch after he become as leader, pushing for

better access for people hiv aids having met sin, and getting a szczur for that awful disease. and also working to ensure that children have access to healthcare. so throughout his life, he didn't leave any stone unturned for a better world. and he did it in a position of strength. we forget when he is involved in this struggle he was actually speaking to power. it was unconfidentble for a lot of people to hear his message when he spoke is acted. so he was also consistent on speaking the truth, and being on the right side of history of justice, and freedom. >> african-americans also went through their own struggle for having their rights upheld, and for equality also.

would you say that it did as cast a light, or people drew inspiration from that? >> yeah, it was very much a symbiotic relationship. the struggle of beam in the united states, it was also mow vatted people in south africa, to fight the apatite system, and they collaborated many many times as well. people in south africa often learn from people here who are fighting for human rights in the united states. and vice versa. so one could say it was one struggle for human rights worldwide. and that i think the mistake we often make is we try to categorize the human rights struggle instead of looking rat it as a human rights struggle.

very much connected to the struggle in the united states. >> is there one quality -- that nelson mandela had that you with the u.s. people in the u.s. -- still to form african-american policies and struggling with equality. what would you say would be the one lesson taken to the fight? >> being consistent in speaking in terms of power. and yes, you should emphasize with people that maybe are trying to trample your rights but at the same time, not being committed to the truth, and that's one reason why we celebrate his life today, hitches consistent in the message of truth and justice, and just consistent on that message.

and i think that sometimes a lot of politicians worldwide tend to try to water down the truth about injustice. about equality. and that throughout his life this is a better world, and very adamant about it. there is a better world. you can make a difference, even with tremendous obstacles you can change the world and make it better.

there he was suffered so daily humiliation. he then invited the same men as a state dinner when he was president. >> cut off near the most southern tip of the african continent, an island chosen for one reason, it's isolation. nelson mandela described it as a prison within a prison. a lar, regime where racism ruled. this man, was to become a confidant of mandela. they were political prisoners under the system where white guards used heavy repressions. >> the only time we were allowed out is when a armed is on the cat walk training his gun on us, because they had been indoctrinated to believe that we were ire

responsibility terrorists, but they wouldn't come with a gun near us, in case we pounced on them and take their gun. so that's what they really believed. they took some time for them to get used to the idea that we were just ordinary human beings like them. back then followed by a 64, the year he arrived. >> most of his solitude was spent incited this tiny cell, the first thing it strikes you is how tiny it is. 24 this is the sanitation, a bucket, and imagine trying to use this as a bed, in extreme temperatures of cold and heat. blankets, and a mat. and the view from here, well, it's bleak.

a blank wall, and a courtyard. for 18 of his 27 years in imprisonment, he lived in this cell. >> it is difficult to imagine, that we spent 18 years here. >> i have recently read somewhere that he became softer. and that his whole cop sent of forgiveness, was born in prison. because he became softer, that is not true. the policy of forgiveness reconsideration was always anc policy. so that it didn't take prison to do that. theory jet stream tried to plague down how badly it was treating the prisoners. this photograph was a staged event. >> you didn't know this was taken. >> no, we didn't know

this was taken. >> the government was trying to make him think he was only doing light work, the prisoners had wondered why for one day only the laboring became easy, but it was to get tougher later, the laboring moved to what was an open lime quarry, 13 years of hard toll breaking rock, the dazzling reflection of white stone, damaging their eyesight. when they weren't laboring, they were sometimes allowed visits in this gloomy building, his second wife an activist herself came under a travel babb, one stage mandela waited two years between her visits. >> by regulation, there was a minimum of six months between each visit, and also by regulation, there was no contact. a screen between husband and wife, winny would sit on this side, the communication through a speaker. a maximum of a 30 minute conversation not a second more, and every word of it bugged. >> they didn't record all

the prisoners, they recorded mandela, and a few of us now and then. it is very difficult if not impossible to guess what is going on inside. very very difficult. naturally, he must have felt things. he is a human being like, but he doesn't show it. >> outside the violence was increasing. nothing one known of the jump rising for three months when new arrivalled brought the news, and with it new anger. they are very very courageous, but they wanted to fight. they wanted to fight physically in prison. against the wardens. so we had to talk with them, and dissuade them. and it took a bit of

time, but they dissipated. >> was mandela forceful in that regard. >> oh, very much so. heroin the leaders. they were different type of personalities. >> what was nelson mandela be. >> the elder brother, soft of. >> the elder brother challenging procedures, quarters that help make him become the president of south africa. >> so how will his fellow prisoner remember him? >> i'd say very courageous. selfless. with tremendous forsight, political forsight.

sacrifice everyone, so he had tremendous insight as well, a very caring compassionate person. >> he would put his own person concerns ton back burner when he says that his first duty is towards his fellow prisoners. he had problems. there would be tension, he never allowed that to interfere with what we considered to be his responsibility forwards us. so he went through everything with us. that was characteristic of him. >> one of many, that matured while he suffering the years of hard slip on this island. it was quite the reverse, one important stage in the making of a remarkable man. andrew simmons, al

jazeera, robin island. a close friend of nelson mandela, and he was imprisoned on robin island. he said the legacy would be the absolutely determination to fight for freedom. >> he would die for you. never mind his. he would sacrifice his life for other people to be free. full of love, full of -- just let us all be peaceful. let us fight for peace. because if there is peace, they develop, -- it takes care of its people.

takes -- it couldn't grow. -- they could put food on the table for that child. i think that's one thing love your country, love your people. love democracy. stand for freedom. anybody can. morgan radford knew the ma della family, and she joins us live from new york. so your first thoughts when you had heard that he had passed away? >> yell, i was there 2010, and my first thoughts upon hearing is of course a moment of sadness, but it is also a moment of self-redefinition it's an opportunity for the country to learn how it is going to rebrand and redefine an image moving forward. >> saying that, since

mandela came out of the political spotlight, south africa has been riddled the anc party, and the government its has been riddled with all kinds of accusation, what do you think is going to happen to the country without mandela looking over it now? >> i think the country is going to experience triumph out of tragedy. as it has as a country historically. i think yes, the anc is a beleaguered organization right now, with tension with things that have happened in the past, but remember, nelson mandela was a symbol of hope. he was a symbol for this party,s and a a first democratically elected black president, which a majority of which is black, this is a great moment of hope. we saw the sill bombism. you also have jacob zuma who is a zulu and was a

sheep herder and this country is rising up to make sure that its voice is heard. so what do you think would be his greatest legacy he has left behind? >> i think it's a legacy of mercy. to those who are at least deserving. his own country, virtually threw him away. he spent 27 years locked up, and came out to not only forgive but stand with his oppressors, no matter what you throw at south africa, the south african person is amenable, and they are going to see a triumph out of a deep tragedy. >> have you met mandela? what do you know of him? >> i did. i met former president nelson mandela back in 2010, i was living there but i was visiting with the former president as well as reverend jesse

jackson, civil rights and billy mitchell leader here, and i also met the current president. and i remember the first morning i spoke with him directly. in that deep voice of his, and he was raiding four newspapers in four ding languages and his mind was sharp, and he was cheeky, and pleasant, and vivacious, and everything you would expect of a man who has captivated the heart of the entire world. the tributes president clinton astounding but he was quite the incredible person. >> this is al jazeera america. we'll return to this program after messages from your local affiliate.tñ

from his incarcerationved number. and it is set up as dehumanizing an individual. he takes something that is just so negative, and he created something so positive from it. so a line of shirts was bourn. the desager clothes were produced locally in keeping with his communitiment to develop south africa. >> the idea of turning his prison number into a commercial brand wasn't just about raising money, it was about finding a very modern way of keeping his ideas alive. >> but he was also very clear in his instructions, the brand had to reflect his core principles, nothing cheap, nothing exploitative, everything dignified and colorful.

>> he stood for 46664, stood for social change, stood for justice, stood for a better humanity. when he gave his number and he said find a way to use it, it should stand for something, and that's what i should stand for those ideals. >> the designer was given the job of turning those achieved tract ideals into t shirts he did it by digging for inspiration in the mandela archives. >> they never looked like that, normally, and he was dressed up quite salve, having to hold a shovel, so then we decided because we can't use this image, we decided just to use the shovel. >> he really wanted us to epitomize that means to fight the fight. >> whether it was for his

ideas or his dress nelson mandela always stood out. with his prison number he did both. al jazeera, cape town. >> another reason why nelson mandela was loved and likes by everybody of all ages we leave you now with mandela sinking twinkle twinkle little star, with some school children. >> how are you? ♪ when symbolic young like you, i used to sing. ♪ twinkle wingle little star, how i wonder what you are ♪ ♪ up above the world so high like a diamond in

the sky ♪ [applause] all right let's sing. ♪ twinkle twinkle little star, how i wonder what you are, up above the world so high like a diamond in the sky ♪ twinkle twinkle little star, how i wonder what you are ♪ now, who wants to be among you? >> me! >> oh, yes. and whon't ways to be a nurse. >> me! >> very good. and who wants to be president? >> my dad.

[applause] ♪ jew are watching al jazeera's continuing coverage of the death of nelson mandela. south africa has lost it's greatest son, those were the works that the president told to tell his people and the world that mandela has passed away. >> these are live pictures coming to us. indict, throughout the whole of south africa. people have abundancing in the streets ought night. crowds of well wishers gathering dancing sings his name. the news of his death was announced at 11:45 p.m.

local time. bell low south africans. founding president of the nation has departed. he passed on peacefully in the company of his family around 20:50. on the fifth of december. 2013. luck jonathan ..he is n rested. he is now at peace. our nation lost its greatest son. our people have lost...

[ ♪ theme ] >> sadness turned to celebration in south africa in a multiracial outpouring of love for nelson mandela. >> he passed on peacefully. >> near midnight in johannesb g johannesburg's president announced the death.